ASSOCIATION COUNCIL CONVENES IN BRUSSELS
Association Council which functions as the highest level decision making body of Turkey - European Union relations since Ankara Agrement which was signed on 12 September 1963 convened for the 49th time in Brussels.
Egemen Bagis, Minister for EU Affairs and the Chief Negotiator and Ahmet Davutoglu, Minister of Foreign Affairs attended the meeting in representation of Turkey and János Martonyi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary, which holds the EU term presidency and Stefan Füle, the European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy attended the meeting in representation of the Council.
Main steps taken forward by Turkey in the last one year in the area of political, economic and legislative alignment within the context of the EU accession process were discussed during the meeting.
Delivering a speech in the joint press conference held after the 49th Turkey – EU Association Council Meeting, Minister for EU Affairs Bagis stated that Association Council Meetings with the EU which lasted about half a century showed how deep the relations were on the one hand, while on the other hand they caused distress since they showed that Turkey was held in abeyance. Egemen Bagis stated that progress achieved in the accession negotiations in five years, which consisted of the opening of 13 chapters and closing of 1 chapter was also far from reflecting the real performance.
Indicating that Turkey was now in a position to open 29 chapters and close 13 chapters unless political obstacles were placed, Bagis noted that despite all these negative attitudes they would continue to introduce the EU reforms with determination which would raise the living standards of the public.
While criticizing the EU regarding the visa issue, noting that the moment when Turkish citizens felt themselves the least European was the duration they waited in the visa queues, Bagis said, "We will make every effort to put an end to this unjust, inappropriate, unreasonable and illegal practice."
Source: AA
